Commissioner-General of Pavilion: Uli Sigg

“"The Swiss Pavilion will bring to life the sustainable interaction between rural and urban spaces and showcase the best Swiss practices."

Architect: Buchner & Bründler Architects Limited and Element design agency

Design: The Pavilion of Switzerland will be a 4000m2 open structure without walls, which will have a vast planted roof and two cylinders inside the pavilion. One part of the pavilion will represent urban areas and the other rural areas. The “urban” area will be deliberately isolated: it will feature a hard, rough floor, noises, shades, as well as constant movement and activity. This part is supposed to correspond to the Chinese “yin.” The planted roof with its bright, peaceful and gently undulating topography is designed to provide a complementary contrast, and this part corresponds to the Chinese “yang.” Visitors will be able to move freely between the two areas: they will be linked by chair lifts and a double-helix system of ramps that transport visitors between the “urban pressures” and the “lightness of nature.” As such, the design of the pavilion is meant to embody a hybrid construct of technology and nature.

The pavilion will be surrounded by an interactive curtain of woven aluminum, which will produce white flashes that are triggered independently of the conditions around the pavilion.

Concept: The Pavilion of Switzerland will focus on the “rural-urban interaction,” reflecting the country’s own geographical characteristics and its acute awareness of the importance of a harmonious interplay between the city and the countryside. The pavilion’s overall concept of balance between man, nature, and technology as well as on the emphasis of urban and rural habitats as complementary and interdependent reflect Switzerland’s longstanding efforts in the area of sustainable development.

The 21 million USD required for the pavilion will come in part from the Swiss government, which has allocated 15 million USD for it, as well as from Swiss corporations, including Nestle, Swatch, and Holcim.

For more information, please visit: http://www.swisspavilion.ch (official website of the Pavilion of Switzerland)